Ship sinks, Vietnamese fisherman swims 8 hours to shore alone

On Saturday morning, the Gianh Port Border Gate Station under the Quang Tri Border Guard Command said Nguyen Manh Cuong, 40, the owner and captain of fishing boat QB-93230-TS, had safely returned home after going missing at sea for several hours.

Cuong said the boat suddenly broke apart around Friday noon, sending water rushing into the hold. The three crew members aboard moved to the flagpole area and held onto a wooden raft, where they were later rescued by another fishing boat.

Cuong stayed aboard until the boat was almost completely submerged before leaving it. He had a life jacket and held onto a small plastic barrel as he drifted at sea.

Heavy rain was falling over the Gianh estuary when the incident occurred. Cuong spent nearly eight hours in the water, enduring the cold, hunger, and repeated waves.

At times, he said, his hands and feet became numb from the cold and he thought he might die at sea. 

But thinking of his wife, three children and elderly mother, he kept kicking and pushing himself forward.

Cuong, who has spent years working at sea and is familiar with the waves and currents, tried to remain calm. When the rain eased, he began to navigate and swam toward shore.

At around 8:00 pm on Friday, Cuong drifted ashore at Ly Hoa Beach in Quang Tri Province, more than 20 kilometers from his home. 

Exhausted, he lay on the beach for about 20 minutes to catch his breath before walking for another 15 minutes to find a house and call for help.

Local residents gave him clothes, food and water and helped him get home safely. 

His return brought an emotional reunion with his family after nearly eight hours of anxiously waiting for him at sea.

Although he survived, Cuong said the fishing boat, the family’s most valuable asset, sank at sea. 

He had bought the used boat four years ago to make a living. Including the fishing gear, the total value of the lost assets was estimated at VND500 million (about US$19,300).

“Losing the boat is a huge loss, but I’m just grateful that I’m still alive,” Cuong said.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lua, Cuong’s wife, said the family was still trying to come to terms with what had happened. 

Although they had lost the fishing boat and gear, she encouraged her husband to focus on his health so the family could get through the difficult period.

“As long as we’re alive, we can rebuild. Once you’re healthy again, we’ll start over,” Lua said.